Public water system · MA4050000
ActiveCanton Water Dept
At a glance
Canton Water Dept (PWSID MA4050000) is an active community water system in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. It reports serving 22,766 people through 7,661 service connections. Its primary water source is purchased surface water, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
22,766
Service connections
7,661
Primary source
SWP
Purchased surface water
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Canton Water Dept compare with other water systems in Norfolk County?
By EPA's size categories, Canton Water Dept is a large system (10,001 to 100,000 people). Norfolk County has 58 active public water systems. Its population served is about 56% above the county average of 14,602 people per system, and accounts for 2.7% of the 846,897 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Massachusetts, the 1,636 active systems average 6,275 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Canton Water Dept is about 3.4 times that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Massachusetts has 531 active community water systems, 32% of the state's 1,636 active systems. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own. 126 Massachusetts systems (7.7%) list purchased surface water as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Canton Water Dept?
EPA lists Canton Water Dept as owned by a local government. The MA state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 30 of the 58 active systems in Norfolk County (52%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Canton Water Dept have drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024. The violations listed here began between April 1993 and July 2024. By type: 10 contaminant level above the legal limit and 2 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved most often is Total coliform bacteria (TCR) (9 of them). EPA lists 7 as resolved, 4 as archived and 1 as addressed. Resolved means at least one resolving action is on record: the system returned to compliance, the rule no longer applies, or no further action was needed. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status. Addressed means the violation is not resolved or archived and is covered by formal enforcement.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-07-01 | Monitoring and reportingFollow-up Or Routine LCR Tap M/R · code 52 | Lead and Copper Rulecode 5000 | No | Addressed |
| 2013-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2012-11-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2012-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2012-08-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2012-07-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2012-06-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Resolved |
| 2011-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Acute (TCR) · code 21 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2011-09-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
| 2011-01-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Single Sample · code 01 | Dichloromethanecode 2964 | Yes | Resolved |
| 1998-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
| 1993-04-01 | Contaminant level above the legal limitMaximum Contaminant Level Violation, Monthly (TCR) · code 22 | Total coliform bacteria (TCR)code 3100 | Yes | Archived |
The 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, newest first.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Canton Water Dept: frequently asked questions
Who runs Canton Water Dept?
Canton Water Dept (PWSID MA4050000) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MA state drinking water program.
How many people does Canton Water Dept serve?
Canton Water Dept reports serving 22,766 people through 7,661 service connections in Norfolk County, Massachusetts.
Where does Canton Water Dept get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as purchased surface water. Purchased surface water means the system buys surface water from another public water system rather than drawing its own.
Does Canton Water Dept have any drinking water violations?
Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Canton Water Dept's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. Of the 12 most recent violations in EPA's records, 10 are health-based, and the most recent began in July 2024. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MA state drinking water program.
Where can I find Canton Water Dept's water quality report?
As a community water system, Canton Water Dept must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Norfolk County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quincy Water Dept. (MWRA) | Norfolk | 106,000 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Brookline Water and Sewer Division | Norfolk | 63,191 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Weymouth Water Department | Norfolk | 57,871 | Community | Surface water |
| Randolph/Holbrook Joint Water Board | Norfolk | 46,519 | Community | Surface water |
| Dedham Westwood Water Dist. | Norfolk | 41,630 | Community | Purchased surface water |
| Braintree Water and Sewer Dept. | Norfolk | 39,143 | Community | Surface water |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Canton Water Dept, PWSID MA4050000, Massachusetts”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/massachusetts/canton-water-dept-ma4050000 (data as of October 1, 2026).